I Want a Tata, but...

Do you think they could add an air conditioner for me? Otherwise, I don't think they would even be ALLOWED to sell them here in Arizona!

I'm Living in CHAOS, Help FlyLady!

My house is in CHAOS, which in FlyLady (http://www.flylady.com/) is “Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome”. Well, that used to work for us. After all, we have pretty much told everyone we know to call first before you ‘pop in’. We used to leave the house a mess during the work week, and then scramble to make it livable during the weekend. It’s not working anymore, due to our awesome new neighbors.

I really like our new neighbors. They are really nice, they have helped us with our landscaping needs, they are our age, we’ve chatted a lot, but the biggest thing, by far, is that they also have a 3 year old girl, Jaylyn. Well, I REALLY underestimated how much that would change the dynamic around our house. Jaylyn is at our house a lot now and the kids are no longer happy with just playing in the yard. So, we have started to change our ways.

I have to admit that I really struggle with the work/home/kids/husband balance. It always seems like one of the categories is far outweighing the other. When my house is clean I feel like I’ve either neglected the kids or my own rest. When I work too much, it all gets neglected. When I focus just on the kids or, even, just myself, the house and work get neglected. Ugh!

A long time ago, before all the drama, I tried a system that the FlyLady had espoused for awhile. And, for awhile it worked. So, I am going back to her and doing my baby steps. I want to be able to have Jaylyn over, or even her parents, at any time and not cringe when they have to step around those baskets full of clean clothes.

Jon and I have talked a bit about this too. He’s been really working hard to make sure the outside is up to par with our new neighbors. After all, the guy is a landscaper.

We want the kids to always be able to bring anyone home and hang out without having to rush around and clean before they come over each time. We want to be that family that all the kids want to hang out at our house (so we can keep an eye on them).

It will certainly take some changes on our part, but I think we can do it. Wish me luck!

Pictures of our new Garden...

I finally have them! The pictures are here!

We finished planting the rest of our little Victory Garden this morning. Thanks to our new neighbor who is a Landscape Artist, who fixed all of our sprinklers, took out a dead tree stump, and even tilled my garden for me so I wouldn't have to, our garden is going to be AWESOME! Today we planted Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Sweet Peppers, Sweet Peas, more Green Onions, Radishes, Summer Squash, Zuchini, Radishes, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Beets, Carrots, and Parsnips. It's a lot, but Jon and I both have the attitude that what grows, grows. We aren't going to stress if something doesn't grow, we'll just learn from it! In our front yard we have a little flower bed, that winds around the side of the house. So, on the side I planted Sweet Onions, Green Onions, and Parsley. Then I put some Basil, Tarragon, and Sage in pots on our little front porch area. I still have a little more area to play with so I am thinking of adding a bit more in the flower beds, too. I did throw a package of wildflowers in a hard to grow area, and they have sprouted nicely next to Joci's petunias.

As you can probably tell, I am really excited. We always had a garden growing up and I loved going out daily and checking to see what had grown. Now, as an adult and a parent, I love that we can grow our own healthy food for our family.

I will keep you posted on how it all goes.

Our garden after planting everything today...

Here are the green onions we have just sprouting in

the side flower beds.

The Sweet Onions in the side flower beds...

The Sage...

The Tarragon...

The Basil...The Daffodils have bloomed...

And the Lillies are coming soon...

Latest Ballet Hairstyle...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I’ve always loved St. Patrick’s Day. Actually, I’m pretty much down for any themed holiday that let’s me decorate and put the kids in special clothes, etc. I also like that you can dye just about anything green, beer, rivers, milk, fountains, etc, and that people try to talk in bad Irish accents. Now it’s pretty much the only holiday, since the 80’s, that you can celebrate rainbows without anyone questioning your gender affiliation.


Anyway…

This year the kids wore the t-shirts that Nonny sent them last year. Joe wore his little St. Patty’s horns while I did Joci’s hair up in little buns w/ green ribbon wraps, too cute. I wore a ‘Go Green’ t-shirt and I have no idea what Jon wore.
Jon made a corned beef and cabbage Monday night for us to take at lunch. At one point I woke up in the middle of the night and had a tough time identifying the foul smell that permeated the house. Yuck, cooked cabbage can be really stinky, but tasty! Wasn’t that nice of him?

But, that was about it. After that I kind of forgot about St. Patrick’s Day. Later we started our Flag Football practice and after that, Joe threw a HUGE tantrum right in front of all the other parents. I had to take him aside and let him freak out on one of the covered picnic tables while we waited for Jon. Oh well. I keep telling myself it’s just because he was overtired that day.

Oysters

Oh Oysters how I love thee!

I know many think of you as big boogers, but not I!

To me you taste like the sea, and with just a bit of spicy cocktail sauce, you are perfection slip-sliding down my throat.

Appreciating the little things our Spouses do.

I was sort of tagged by another blog, see here, to appreciate the little things that our spouses do, and so here goes: He makes dinner almost every night. Mostly because he doesn’t seem to like the same things I like to make and, well, I take too long to cook. Last night he made chicken parmesan. He even made me corned beef and cabbage last night so that I could have it for lunch today.

When we first met and before we got married I made sure that he understood, I don’t really do ‘outdoors’. I like to go outside, yes, but then I like to go back inside again. I do not like camping, at all, and I do not do yard-work. The most outdoorsy I get is planting flowers or growing a small garden. He has never complained about this.

He takes out the trash for me because we get it so full that it’s too heavy to lift, and takes the barrels to the curb for trash pick up.

He knows how to buy a gift. He really pays attention to things I may mention wanting and works hard to get them for me.

He encourages me to go out and do things separately from him.

He is a really hands-on father. He doesn’t leave taking care of the kids up to me.

I haven’t had to pick-up the dog poop for a really long time. He also feeds and waters the dogs unless he’s out of town.

He is always the one that cleans out the garage, which is usually messing from the stuff that I dump into it.

He always encourages me to do my hobbies and take time out for myself when I need it.

He cuts the cakes at the kids' birthday parties and keeps the party flowing while I am too busy talking to the other Moms.

He coaches Joe’s flag football team, which I think is really cool. He’s a very good coach and always has lots of people asking for him to coach their kids.

Now, if I could just get him to clean his toilet and make the bed, he’d be damn near perfect!

Love you baby!

Now it’s your turn. Think about the little things your spouse does for you. There are probably many more than you think about.

Pictures from Friday Morning

Bath Paints

Isn't this awesome? Weelife has a great recipe for Bath Paints here. I think I might try this tonight. I'll let you all know how it turns out.
2 T. cornstarch
1/3 C. liquid soap
Several drops food colouring
Smidge of water to get a good paint consistency

Here's what ours turned out like, quite bright! Although, I started this thinking that I had cornstarch, and of course, I was out. So I tried to use some flour and it just didn't work as well. The cornstarch is necessary! The kids loved painting the tub, though.

Saw this on Twitter early this monring...

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
--Bill Cosby

I want to be FIERCE like...

Meryl Streep.
Ok, so I don't know Meryl Streep, at all. I have never met the woman. But, I feel like in watching all the roles that she's done (Hello, 15 oscar nominations) that she encompasses a certain fierceness that I would love to have.

Stresssssssss!

Today I am overwhelmed.

I am easily overwhelmed and sometimes by things that most people would find, well, not overwhelming.

Most of it is me, and some of it is the result of some drama/trauma that I went through a couple of years ago. Since then, I have noticed that my anxiety has been ratcheted up quite a few levels. I have gotten ‘help’ for this, but stopped going when the help I was getting was going anywhere. The help I was getting was beneficial, certainly, but, I don’t know that it fulfilled my needs to the extent that I needed.

Now, I find myself needing more ‘help’. I’m going to make that call tomorrow.

Today has been stressful, very stressful, and it makes it an ugly cycle when I become even more upset just with the fact that I am stressed at all!

It started with Jocelyn. No, she didn’t throw a tantrum, or talk back, or anything like that, although it was annoying that she insisted on wearing her Cinderella dress today rather than the absolutely adorable outfit I had for her to wear. That wasn’t it, as things like that pretty much happen everyday. This weekend Joci started getting sick. Big nasty green boogies (Thank God she can now blow her nose so I don’t have to suck them out with the bulb syringe), coughing, sneezing, and a light fever. This morning as she walked down the stairs to find me she coughed. Not only did she cough, but it was the cough that freaks me out…croup! Damn that croup! Why won’t that crap leave my kids alone? It sounded horrible, so, right away I gave her a breathing treatment, which didn’t do much. Jon agreed to stay home with her and take her to the doctor even though he wasn’t feeling great either. Stress.

So I took Joe to the sitter’s house and called the doctor to get her an appt. Of course, our doctor was out sick today. Our back-up doctor was fully booked, so we had to see someone who was available. I hate this, especially when Joci is concerned because of her medical history. More stress.

I was 4 minutes late for work. More stress.

Running a little behind on my regular work, and forgot that today would be the first day of a big project this week. To accommodate this, I asked to work from home on Wednesday rather than Friday. Oh, and since I didn’t get what I needed to do from certain people until late in the day, I had to work late to get it done. More stress.

We had more bills than normal this last paycheck, so we are a bit strapped for money until Thursday. I hate money issues. More stress.

I know I cannot let this scare me, but it really, really does. The economy is freaking me out. I am trying so hard to keep a hopeful attitude about it all, but with Jon’s job dangling there like a little kid’s loose tooth, I’m having a hard time remaining positive. More stress.

I shouldn’t even put this out there, but it is stressful for me to try to find balance between having a clean house and having time to do the things I WANT to do. More stress.

So, how do I fix this today? Tonight, I am going to take a bubble bath using some of the awesome Lush product that Jon got me for Christmas. I am going to shave my legs and enjoy the scent of the bubbles. In short, I am going to throw myself a little pity party because tomorrow I am going to have a good positive attitude, able to handle anything that comes at me!

Tomorrow I am going to wake up a little earlier so I can get home earlier. Tomorrow I am going to be Super-Mommy able to take care of the kids and not show how worried I am about big green boogies (aren't you glad I don't have a graphic for that one!). Tomorrow I will handle my work like a champ, and I will spend ZERO money. I will count my blessings and one of them will be that Jon still has his job and that he is lucky to be a leader in his field. I will clean the dishes and pick up and then go out and scrapbook in the office.

One Reason I Love Tina Fey...

I really fell in love with this add...
My favorite part? When she talks about walking around with a big soda in a big box store...

Joci as a Ballerina

This is Joci before her first Fairytale Ballet class. Unfortunately, that class was cancelled. Can you imagine how it would be with 6 very unhappy little girls upset about their missed class? Poor Jon took Lulu that day and was the lucky duck having to put up with all of that. But, doesn't she look cute?

This is the second first class and as you can see Joci was practicing for her class. The best part is that Grandpa took her to this class, but he wasn't allowed inside. Second best? She got to wear fairy wings and use a magic wand!

Very Funny Jimmy Kimmel/Octo-Mom Birth

Lunch for the kids today

I kind of stole this idea from a different blog that I follow. I know it's not exactly eating the rainbow, but, I think it's a fairly good lunch. Funny thing is, they didn't even touch the little pizza pockets, they ate everything else.

Go To:

http://www.wordle.net/

So cool and lots of fun to make.

Easy Dinner that Everyone Loves

I am an admitted soup junkie. I love soups. So with Jon out of town and needing to make dinner quickly, I made everyone's favorite...Campbell's Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. They were so yummy and the kids loved it! Yes, I know Joci is only in a diaper. You see, she had been wearing her ballerina outfit and didn't want to get soup on it. Way to be proactive baby!

And, yes, I am that awesome of a Mom that I let the Goldfish crackers take a dip in their soup so the kids could go fishing!

Curls, Curls, Curls!

Last night while I was brushing Joci’s hair I decided to put her hair up in curlers. I sprayed each strand with detangling spray, brushed it, then sprayed a little hairspray on it, rolled up the curler and twisted like crazy. I can’t believe she didn’t complain and even slept all night with the curlers in. Can you believe how cute her hair came out?

Victory Garden

This last weekend I started our very own victory garden. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Every year I plant some kind of flowers in the flower beds that run all along the front and sides of the house. This year, I decided to do some onions along the side of the house, near where the paper whites and rose bushes are, a bit hidden from the road. The rest I did end up doing some basic flower seeds, from some packets that I already had trying to be thrifty. I didn’t want our hoa knocking on our door wanting an explanation for what might look like weeds to them. I did, however, plant some herbs among the flowers. In the back, we had a tree die, and so I am going to take that space and convert it into a small vegetable garden. I was inspired by my parents, Martha Stewart, and Sandy at one of my favorite blogs: www.reluctantentertainer.com. Growing up we always had some kind of garden at our house and I always loved growing the vegetables, probably more than I liked eating them. Now in my life and our current economic situation, it seems like a good idea. Why not have something you can lean on that is also fresh and good for you. Of course, if my garden yields a lot, I will also have to look into how to can, but, we’ll get to that later. Something I’ve always wondered…why do they call it canning when it involves glass jars? Is there a way to actually ‘can’ from home? I have always worried about having the extra time that it takes to nurture the plants, especially when it often seems like I don’t have enough time to get things done now as it is. I just had this burning ‘need’ to create a garden, and I have come to really start listening to my inner guidance, so a small garden it is. If it goes well, then I will do more and more. I also can’t wait to get the kids involved, just as I was when I was younger. Joci already helped me to plant all the onions, tarragon, basil, parsley, sage, and some pink (pink of course!) petunias that she wanted to plant from Lowes. She’s a great little helper. In fact, our new little neighbor that is Jocelyn’s age came over and ‘helped’ too. This week I am going to till my little area in the backyard to get the majority of the garden done. I will post some pictures when I have it all planted.

Have you ever thought about planting a garden?

It’s a great way to supplement our grocery lists,

especially right now. Give it a try!

I want to compost so bad! But, I’m not sure how to do it on a small scale and cheap too. I’ve kind of already started a little pile, but that looks so tacky. I was definitely surprised by how much compost material we had always been throwing away. I am thinking a big black trash can with holes drilled into might work ok, but, let’s face it, it’s not exactly cheap. I have looked around the house, and just can’t find anything that would work. Any ideas? I liked that Sandy’s husband did a pallet compost pile, but I need something on a much, much smaller scale.